Magnetic peak inspection



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April 25, 195o T. ZUSHLAG 2,505,701

MAGNETIC PEAK INSPECTIQN Filed JuneQ, 1945 2 Sheets-'Sheet l Pals/.f leser/Ffm MH/FER l BY y i. 1)MM5MW4 l ATTORNEYS April 25 149540 T. zuscHLAG 2,505,701

MAGNETICPEAK INSPECTION Filed June 9, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 z M M INVENTOR 7/7eadofe `Ze/.fcqgf ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 25, 1950 MAGNETIC PEAK INSPECTION Theodore Zuschlag, West Englewood, N. J., as'- signor to Magnetic Analysis Corporation, Long Island Gity, N.

Y., a corporation of New York Application June 9, 1945, Serial No. 598,496 11 Claims. (Cl. 175-183) This invention relates to the inspection of magnetic material and particularly to apparatus and methods for investigating instantaneous wave forms resulting from the eiect of magnetic propties of the material under inspection upon the shape of sinusoidal currents.

In my previous Patents Nos. 2,144,476, 2,258,837 and in Hana Patent 2,152,690 there are described methods and apparatus for magnetic inspection by analysis of the wave forms at certain points or phases of the waves.

The present invention is an improvement over the prior methods and systems in several particulars, notably in that by means of this invention it is possible to effectively shift the exact portion oi the wave form to be investigated so that it appears at the desired peak of the basic sinusoidal wave where it can be readily examined. To this end the invention utilizes a phase selective circuit in combination with other apparatus, as hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagram of a simple embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein an auxiliary sinusoidal wave is introduced;

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of suitable rectifier and pulse-amplifier arrangements represented in block form in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4a represents a sinusoidal wave showing positive peak values utilized according to the invention;

Fig. 4b illustrates a typical instantaneous wave form distortion appearing at different positions or phases of the Wave; and

Fig. 4c illustrates four of a large variety of wave form distortions or shapes which may be observed in utilizng this invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a suitable source 2 of alternating current, such as 60 cycles, is connected to cause energizing current to flow through energizing coil l. A condenser il, preferably adjustable, may be provided in series with the energizing coil to tune the energizing circuit in resonance with the frequency of the power source t. An ammeter will indicate the point of resonance by a maximum reading. Secondary or pickup coils 6 and l, which should be identical, are preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to energizing coil i. Coils and l may comprise a single straight winding having a center tap, or the two sections may be stretched apart as illustrated, or alternatively they may comprise two coils positioned one within the other, but conot 2 nected as shown. Coils I, 6 and 1 should be disposed in magnetic relation to each other, and also in magnetic relation to the material 5 under inspection. By way of example, coll l may comprise approximately 350 turns of #14 double cotton covered wire; and coils 6 and l may comprise 150 turns each of #26 single cotton covered wire. Usually suitable provision should be made to move the material i under inspection at a, uniform rate with respect to coils i, 6 and I so that successive portions thereof will be presented for inspection. The pickup coils t and 'i are connected n series aiding in a phase-shifting network including as additional impedance elements condenser B and variable resistor 9. Adjustment of the resistance value of resistor e will shift the phase of the cycle sinusoidal wave appearing at input terminals a, Z9, of the peak; voltmeter which, as here employed, is somewhat similar Vto the so-called slide back vacuum tube voltmeter. If condenser t were varied the amplitude as well as vthe phase would change which would be undesirable for the purpose described. Potentioineter I t, which is part of the voltmeter, is connected across a suitable source of direct potential Il, and arranged as shown with its slider connected to the midpoint oi' coils 6 and 'i and its grounded terminal connected to terminal b of the rectifier. The direct-current source i i may be a separate source as illustrated,'or, if more convenient, a common direct current source may be employed for the entire system. The peak voltmeter includes the potentiometer l0, rectifier i2, pulse amplifier it and indicating meter |15.

The operation of the phase shift circuit above described may be explained as follows: If the coils t and l are similar and are symmetrically located with respect to primary coil l, and if the tap shown connected between coils t and 'i is effectively at the midpoint between the extreme terminals of the two coils, equal potentials will be developed between such extreme terminals i respectively, and the mid tap. If the resistance of the coils 6 and 'i be neglected and if condenser 8 and resistor 9 be considered to comprise a pure capacity and a pure resistance, respectively, then the phase angle between the two potentials developed across the two components t and 0 will always be provided the input potential impressed across primary coil l is of low-frequency and of sinusoidal form. Under these conditions, and provided further that no appreciable current is drawn from the-phase shift circuit, the phase change between the input potential across coli i and the output potential across output terminas a, b may be varied between the limits of approximately 20 and 160 without appreciable change of amplitude at the output terminals. This fact may readily be demonstrated on the oscilloscope I3 shown connected across terminals a and b in Fig. 1, as described below. For practical purposes this phase shift circuit is effective only for a sinusoidal low-frequency component and does not substantially shift the phase of the distortion wave because the latter is not a sinusoidal low-frequency component. Such distortion waves comprise either cyclic transients or a summation of high-frequency components, which effectively, may be, say, of several thousand cycles per second. For such transient or high-frequency components the values of the potentials developed, respectively, across coils 6 and 1, and likewise the value of capacitive reactance introduced by condenser 8, are so small as to be negligible in comparison to the corresponding values in respect to theI lowfrequency sinusoidal component. Thus by variation of a suitable impedance element such as resis+or 9 the low-frequency sinusoidal component can be made to roll along or shift with respect to time, whereas the wave, distortions appear to remain substantially stationary with respect to time as viewed, for example, on the screen of an oscilloscope. In this manner the distortion wave can be made to appear at any desired point or phase of the sinusoidal wave, and usually for purposes of measurement in accordance w'th the present invention this point is that of maximum amplitude.

Connectible across the input terminals a and b of the rectifier is an oscillograph I3, as shown. The left-hand terminals f the oscillograph may be assumed to connect to the vertical electrodes, and it may also be assumed that the oscilloscope includes a suitable sweep oscillator connected to the horizontal electrodes. Indicating meter I5, preferably a'zero center micro-ammeter, is connected to the output of the pulse amplifier. 'This meter thus indicates variations in the output of the rectifier. The upper terminal of oscillograph I3 is connectible through a switch 28 either to terminal a or terminal c, as shown. Connection to terminal a permits inspection of the complete A. C. wave, whereas connection to terminal c permits inspection of the rectified wave. By the latter connection greater amplification of the distorted wave form may be employed. A detailed circuit diagram of the elements comprising rectifier I2 and pulse amplifier i4 is given in Fig. 3.

The circuit diagram of Fig. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention which for some purposes is preferable. Itis more sensitive, is self-balancing and may be employed to detect defects of small size including non-uniformity in the specimen itself. The system of Fig. l, on the other hand, is especially adapted to investigate fairly high input voltages, and is useful for many purposes including measurements of the effect of heat treatment of metallic specicircuit including primary I9 of a coupling transformer of which coil 2li is the secondary. By way of example, coils IB and I1 may have the same number of turns as coils 6 and 1 of Fig. 1. Secondary coil 20 is connected to a phase-shifting clrcuit including as impedance elements condenser 22 and variable resistor 2I in series with secondary winding 23 of a coupling transformer 43. Primary 24 of transformer 43 is connected through a variable reactance 26 to an auxiliary source 25 of alternating current which generates a low-frequency current of sinusoidal wave form, as before. The voltage of this source, as well as source 2 of Fig. 1,-should be as closely regulated as possible. It is here necessary to introduce an auxiliary sinusoidal wave into the phase shifting system because coils I6 and I1 are connected in opposition, and the resulting differential wave is of such small potential as to be incapable of satisfactory rectification. However, by adding it to the potential of the wave of source 25, the r-esultant may be readily rectified. The remainder of the arrangement of Fig. 2, is, in general, similar to that described above in connection with Fig. l. In the-present arrangement one end of secondary coil 20 is connected to a mid-tap on secondary coil 23 of transformer 43, and to the other end of coil 20 is connected the slider on potentiometer l0. A suitable source II of direct current is connected, as before, across the resistance element of potentiometer I0, and the output of the phase-shifting system is connected to input terminals a and b of the rectifier of the vacuum tube voltmeter, and to these same terminals the oscillograph I3 is also connected. An indicating meter I5 is connected to the output of pulse amplifier I4 which is fed from the rectifier I2, as previously explained.

In Fig. 3 are shown the circuit connections of a suitable rectifier and pulse amplifier represented generally in Figs. l and 2. The input terminals a and b shown in the preceding diagrams are connected, as illustrated, to the input of a, rectifier circuit including diode 21 and resistor 30. This diode may, for example, comprise a type 6H6 tube. If the connections to ground are made as illustrated, the slider of potentiometer Ill is connected through the phase-shifting network to the cathode of diode 21, the anode of which is connected to the grid of amplifier tube 3| which mayfor example be a tube type 6J5. Terminal c is directly connected to the output of diode 21 so that the cscillograph is across resistor 30 for the purpose mentioned in connection with Fig. 1, when the switch 28 is in contact with terminal c.

The input of amplifier tube 3l is also connected across resistor 30, and the plate of tube 3l is connected through series resistor 32 to the B+ terminal of a suitable power supply, while the cathode is connected to ground by means of a bias resistor-condenser combination 34, as is customary in the art. The plate of tube 3| is connected through coupling condenser 33 to the load resistor 35. Across this load resistor are connected the anode and cathode of a second diode rectifier 35 which may also be of the type 6H6, for example. Diode 36 is shunted by resistor 31 in series with condenser 38, the common connection between resistor 31 and condenser 38 being connected to the left-hand grid (as illustrated) of a double triode amplifier tube 39 which, for example, may be` 0f the type 6SN7, while the right-hand grid is connected to the slider of potentiometer 4D which is connected between the common cathodes and ground. The two plates of tube 39 are connected to the B+ terminal through similar load resistors 4I and 42, respectively. and are also connected, as shown, to 1ndicator or meter l5. shown in the previous figures.

Briefly, the operation of the vacuum tube voltmeter, including rectier l2 and pulse amplier it as illustrated in Fig. 3, may be explained as follows: The positive peaks of the alternating current impressed at terminals a and IJ are rectied by diode 2l so that the output comprises uni-dlrectional pulses. These pulses are amplided by triode di which also introduces an A. C. component due to the presence of coupling elements tt-id Hence an additional rectifier llt is connected across resistor to rectify this fi. C. component. The resulting uni-directional output is pressed on D. C. amplider til through coupling elements ill-td It will be seen that the current through load resistor' 'it will be oi steady value which depends upon the setting oi poten tiorneter til, whereas the current through resistor di will fluctuate in proportion to the potential applied to input terminals u and b. lihus by adiustrnent oi potentiometer meter iii may be balanced to nero position in the absence oi iinpressed voltage ductuations.

"ihe vvelhlrnown slide baeir voltureter operates upon the principle oi measuring the voltage value reduirod to return to nero a voltrueter which has deflected by applied voltage oi' an unlrnown lue. 'ii-lonever, in the system according to the present invention there is no need lor measuring the actual applied alternating voltage and so no voltineter ie included to indicate tile value oi direct current selected by adjustment or potentiometer iii to'balance the etiect of the applied voltage. it is here sudlcient merely to balance out niost oi the sinusoidal voltage as indicated by oscillograph so that the reproduced wave iorrn inited to the actual peair values on which are erirnposed the vvave torni distortion to be ob sleeved.

lmig. tu shows the effect on the sinusoidal vvave d caused by the adjustment oi the potentiometer iid to diiierent positions. lFor example, as the slider is moved tovvard the positive end, the reproduced peat: oi the vvave i, d, i" might be shaved oil to a smaller pealr e, d, e'. vlhen, a distorted wave is superimposed on the exact peat.: oi the sinusoidal trave, the trace on the os cillograph screen oi the rectified distorted vvave tvill be substantially iree oi" the sinusoidal wave and will appear' something like a trace shown in Fig. ic.

liig. lib illustrates the eidect oi adjusting the phase-shifting circuit by variation oi" resistor t oi lig. l, or resistor il of Fig. 2. lin the three curves T, U, il', the same sinusoidal wave and the saine distorted wave form are shown, the only difference between the three curves being that the trave distortion is represented at three dili'erent phases or the sinusoidal wave. The phase rela tion oi curves T and U is 90 and the phase relation oi curves T and l is led, lit is obvious that the trave iorrn distortions indicated at h. and it' on curve l and at :i and i on curve l? are of extremely low potentials and, therefore, would be difficult to record. 0n the other hand by shifting This is the same meter l the distorted wave to the peak of the sinusoidal wave as shown at i and t" of curve U an edective potential as large as required is available. For ordinary measurement purposes it is of no consequence whether the negative peak i or the positive peak i is employed, because it is the nature of the distortion waves themselves which is representative oi characteristics of the body being investigated. As a matter of convenience it `is assumed in connection with the present description that the positive peak i' is utilized, as shown in Figs. 4a and 4c.

In actual practice I have found that the instantaneous wave form distortion which will be observed in the use of apparatus in accordance with this invention may take a variety of diner ent shapes and characteristics, viz., they may be round, elongated, or sharp single peaks, or sharp multiple peaks, as illustrated in curves W, X, Y and Z of Fig. ic. The amplitude, as well as the shape, of these peaks will in many cases vary with the chemical composition or the physical condition of the material under investigatlonso that by observing the variation in amplitude or shape of the distorted wave form at a given mariinurn phase point ofthe sinusoidal wave valuable information as to changes in chemical composition or physical condition can be quickly obtained.

ln the table below are listed values oi circuit elements which may be employed in practicing the invention herein described. lt is to be understood, however, that these values, as nell as those stated elsewhere :in this specification, are given solely by vvay oi example and not as a limitation ot the invention defined in the appended clailns.

Potentiometer lil ohms-- lililiiil Potentiometer --do @ddii Resistors il and lil do ldiiiid Resistor .doltd Resistor dit -do-.. lildililil Resistor lili -do tddilll l-tesistor lli -do-- itlldd Resistors il and dit -do lihilild Uondensers t and llt nucroiaradn l #Condenser do .iii Condenser it don .l

@per-ation The iollowing description of the method oi operating the apparatus herein described is given by way of example:

.d standard specimen of known properties and analysis is drst inserted in inductive relation with coils i, ii and 'i of the coil system oi l'fig. i, ior eirarnple. The resulting wave may then be viewed on the screen oi an oscillograph it and potentiometer iii adjusted to give a zero reading on microarnineter it. (It is assumed that potentiometer td oi Fig. 3 has been previously set to provide suitable plate current through anode llt and load resistor di or amplifier tube it for the contemplated tests. This adjustment is not particularly critical. lt is also assumed that a suitable energizing current has been caused to iiow through energizing coil i by adjustment oi condenser Ei.) Adjustment of potentiometer id varies the effective voltage impressed on the cathode oi diode tl (Fig. 3) in opposition to the alternating potential impressed on the diode through terminals a and b, viz., the: impressed voltage is in opposition to the half oi the wave to he rectified. The effect oi this is: to cut od the peaks of the sinusoidal potential waves to a minimum, as described in connection with Fig. 4u, for the purpose of emphasizing the distorted Wave form. The standard specimen is now removed and the unknown specimen substituted therefor in the coil system. If the unknown specimen is identical with the standard, deflection of meter l5 and the wave observed on the oscillograph will be the same as before. However, if the unknown specimen differs from the standard then a new wave pattern will be observed on osclllograph I3, at some point of adjustment of phase shlf ting resistor 9.

In order to locate and observe the new wave pattern due to wave form distortion resulting from a dillerent characteristic of the unknown specimen, it is sometimes necessary to scan or observe all parts or phases of the sinusoidal wave. This may be done, as illustrated in Fig. 4b by observing the screen of oscillograph lil while resistance 9 is varied. Adjustment of resistor S eiectively shifts the phase of the sinusoidal wave without shifting the phase of the distorted wave to be observed, because of the separable `natures of the two wave forms especially as to frequency. Consequently variation oi resistor S' effectively rol1s" the sinusoidal wave in one direction or to the other'while the distorted Wave relatively stands still. By this means it is possible to shift or roll the sinusoidal wave until the peak or any other desired portion or phase thereof coincides with the distorted wave form. If the wave form distortion is small it may more readily be seen on the oscilloscope i3 by suitable adjustment of the rate of the sweep oscillator which is assumed to be a part of the oscilloscope, in order to show a large image of part oi the wave, such, for example, as one-half of the wave. It' the distorted Wave be very small it might not be visible at all on the oscillograph screen, but it will increase the average potential on the left-hand grid of amplilier tube 39, and therefore produce a deflection of meter l5. This deflection will be on one or the other side of the zero center depending upon whether the positive or negative peak is being indicated, and the indication will be steady because the meter i5 will indicate the R. M. S. value of the rectied voltage waves.

The operation of the system of Fig. 2 is generally similar to that of Fig. l above described, the phase shifting resistor 2| here taking the place of resistor 9 of Fig. l. In this system, however, the magnitude of the alternating current potential from auxiliary source 25 may be suitably regulated by variable reactance 26 to provide a satisfactory indication of the desired wave form on oscillograph I3 or meter l5, or both. If it be desired to inspect the rectified wave form on the oscillograph, switch 28 may be moved to terminal c. This facility is more likely to be employed in connection with the system of Fig. 2 because the latter is inherently capable of detecting smaller distortion waves than is the system of Fig. 1,

What I claim is:

l. The method of inspecting magnetic material which comprises, generating a low-frequency sinusoidal alternating ciu-rentmagnetic field, subjecting said material to said eld whereby to distort said held, generating in a detector circuit a composite voltage wave derived from said eld comprising a sinusoidal wave and a distorted Wave of separable frequency characteristics due to the magnetic influence of said material on said field, shifting the phase of said sinusoidal wave with respect to said distorted wave to cause the peak of said sinusoidal wave to coincide with said distorted wave so as to form a composite wave peak. rectiying and amplifying said composite wave peak, rectifying and amplifying said composite wave peak to provide an average voltage. and indicating said voltage.

2. In apparatus for magnetic analysis of a magnetizable body, an energizing coil and a detecting coil arranged to be in magnetic relation to each other and to a body to be analyzed, means'for connecting a source of substantially sinusoidal low-frequency voltage to said energizing coil, a rectier, an adjustable source of unidirectional potential connected on one side to said rectier in opposition to the half wave to be rectied so as to limit the effective maximum potential impressed on said rectifier and connected on the other side to a mid tap on said detecting coil, circuit means linking said rectifier and said detector coil including a phase shifting network comprising a condenser and a variable resistor connected in series across said detecting coil by which the phase of low frequency sinusoidal waves induced in said circuit means may be adjusted with respect to relatively high frequency distortion waves induced in said circuit means resulting from the magnetic eiiect of said body on the alternating voltage induced in said detecting coil by said energizing coil, means connectible to said circuit means to indicate the effect of said phase-shifting network with respect to said waves, an indicating device, and a pulse amplifier coupling said rectifier and said indicating device.

3. In apparatus for the niagnetii;I analysis of a magnetic body, an energizing coil and a detecting coil arranged to be in magnetic relation to each other and to a body to be analyzed, means for connecting a source of substantially sinusoidal low-frequency voltage to said energizing coil, a rectier, a phase-shifting circuit comprising a plurality of phase-changing impedance elements one of which is adjustablasai'd elements being so proportioned that variation of the impedance of said adjustable element adjusts the phase of sinusoidal low-frequency waves induced in said circuit with respect to the phase of eiectively higher frequency distortion waves induced therein which result from the magnetic effect of said body on the alternating voltage induced in said detecting coil by said energizing coil, said circuit being connected eii'ectively to cou-ple said detecting coil to said rectifier, an adjustable source of uni-directional potential connected to said rectier in opposition to the half of the wave to be rectified so as to limit the effective maximum potential impressed on said rectifier, and an indicating device connected to indicate the output of said rectiier.

4. In apparatus for the magnetic analysis of a magnetic body, an energizing coil and a detecting coil arranged to be in magnetic relation to each other and to a body to be analyzed, means for connecting a source of substantially sinusoidal iowfrequency voltage to said energizing coil, a rectier, a phase-shifting circuit comprising a plurality of phase-changing impedance elements one of which is adjustable` said elements being so proportioned that variation of the impedance of said adjustable element adjusts the phase of sinusoidal waves induced in said circuit with respect to the phase of distortion waves induced therein which result from the magnetic effect of said body on the alternating voltage induced in said detecting coil by said energizing coil, said circuit serving effectively to couple said detecting coil to'said rectiiier, an oscilloscope, and means for connecting said oscilloscope to the output of said phase-shifting circuit to indicate the eiect thereof with respect to said Waves, an adjustable source of uni-directional potential connected to said rectifier in opposition to the half of the wave to be rectified so as to limit the effective maximum potential impressed on said rectifier, an amplifier connected to amplify the said low frequency: means for adjusting the mag nltude of said last-mentioned voltage; a source of uni-directional potential; a potentiometer connected across said uni-directional source; a connection from the adjustable tap of said potentiometer to one terminal of the secondary of said first transformer; a connection from the other terminal of said last-named secondary to a mid-tap on the secondary coii of said second transformer; a connection from the negative terminal of said uni-directional source to the anode of said rectiiier; a connection from the cathode of said rectifier to a common connection point between said capacity and said variable resistor; an oscilloscope connectible across the anode and cathode of said rectifier; an amplier connected to amplify the output of said rectifier; and an indicating device connected to the output of said amplifier.

1i. In apparatus for the magnetic analysis of a. magnetic body, an energizing coil and a detecting coil arranged to be in magnetic relation to each other and to a body to be analyzed, means for connecting a source of substantially sinusoidal low-frequency voltage to said energizing coil whereby distortion waves of frequencies considerably higher than said low frequency are induced in said detecting coil as a result of the magnetic eiect of said body on the alternating voltage induced in said detecting coil by said enl2 ergizing coil. said distortion waves being representative of certain characteristics of said body, a plurality of impedance elements connected in a phase-changing circuit and proportioned to introduce substantial impedance at the low frequency of said sinusoidal voltage and insubstantial impedance at the high frequencies of said distortion waves, means for adjusting at least one of said phase-changing elements so as to shift over a range of more than 90 the phase of potentials at said low frequency with respect to potentials ai, said high frequency in said circuit, a rectifier, said circuit being connected effectively to couple said detecting coil to said rectifier, and an indicating device connected to the output of said rectifier to indicate a potential representative of said distortion waves.

THEODORE ZUSCHLAG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,686,815 Innes Oct. 9, i928 1,897,634 De Forest Feb. 14, i933 2,152,690 Hana Apr. 4, 1939 2,337,231 Cloud Dec. 21, 1943 2,415,789 Farrow Feb. 1l, 1947 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,505,701 April 25, 1950 THEODORE ZUSCHLAG It is hereby certiied that errors appear in the printed speciication of the above numbered patent requiring eorreetlon as follows:

Column 7, line 17, after or strike out t0; lines 68 and 69, s ,trke out the Words and comma rectifying and amplifying said composite Wave peak,;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oee.

Signed and sealed this 18th clay of July, A. D. 1950,

[SEAL] JOE E. DANIELS,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

